# NTSB ATL04FA077: Piper PA-46-310P, N9103Z, Arlington, AL, February 23, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: February 23, 2004, 08:49 local (14:49 UTC) - Place: Arlington, AL - Coordinates: 32.067222, -87.612777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0672&lon=-87.6128&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Teledyne Continental, Birmingham FSDO-09, New Piper Aircraft Company - NTSB case key (mKey): 58810 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04FA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58810/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04FA077 ## Probable cause The pilots inadequate in-flight planning/decision and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in an in-flight encounter with a thunderstorm and exceeding the design limits of the aircraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - thunderstorm (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, descent - uncontrolled - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled - airframe - overload - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - swampy ## Analysis The pilot received a preflight briefing from the Gainesville Automated Flight Service Station before departing on the instrument flight. The briefer advised the pilot of the potential for occasional moderate turbulence between 24,000 and 37,000 feet and on the current Convective SIGMET for embedded thunderstorms over southern Mississippi. The flight was in cruise flight at 24, 000 feet when the airplane encountered moderate to severe turbulence and heavy rain. The airplane descended from 24,000 feet to 3,100 feet in a descending right turn in 2 minutes and 10 seconds before radar contact was lost. The airplane was located 8 hours 26 minutes after the accident along a crash debris line that extended between 1.31 miles and 1.53 miles northwest of Arlington, Alabama. Airframe components recovered from the accident site were submitted to the NTSB Materials laboratory for examination. The examinations revealed all failures were consistent with overstress fracturing and there was no evidence of pre-existing conditions or fatigue damage. Examination of the airframe revealed that the airframe design limits were exceeded. The Pilot's Operating Handbook states the maximum structural cruising speed is 173 knots indicated airspeed or 170 knots calibrated airspeed. The co-pilot airspeed indicator at the crash site indicated 180 knots calibrated airspeed. The design maneuvering speed is 135 knots indicated airspeed or 133 knots calibrated airspeed. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 23, 2004, at 0849 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N9103Z, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, broke up in-flight in the vicinity of Arlington, Alabama. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at flight altitude and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated from Panama City-Bay County International Airport, Panama City, Florida, on February 23, 2004, at 0738 central standard time. At 0605, the pilot received a preflight weather briefing from the Gainesville Automated Flight Service Station and filed and instrument flight plan. The briefer advised the pilot of the potential for occasional moderate turbulence between 24,000 and 37,000 feet and on the current Convective SIGMET for embedded thunderstorms over southern Mississippi. Review of pilot reports revealed light rime icing conditions and light to moderate turbulence across the area with instrument meteorological conditions. After takeoff from Panama City, Air Traffic Control procedures were described as routine. At 0819:32, the pilot radioed Atlanta Center, "uh we'd like to deviate a little bit to the north to get around some of these buildups." The controller asked the pilot if he encountered any rime icing in his area, and the pilot stated no. The pilot was cleared to Flight level (FL) 230 and instructed to contact another sector of Atlanta Center at 0827. The pilot made the frequency change and informed the new controller that he was climbing to FL230. The controller informed the pilot to climb to FL250 and amended the climb clearance to FL240 at 08:30:23. The pilot stated "Four oh thank you." At 08:46:54, radar data revealed the airplane was at 24,000 feet flying a northwest heading. At 08:47:02, the airplane was at 23,800 feet in a right turn. At 08:47:04, the airplane was at 23,600 feet heading northwest. At 08:47:34, the airplane was heading northeast at 16,300 feet. At 08:47:51, the controller radioed the pilot to verify that he was flying at FL240. There was no response from the pilot. At 08:47:58, radar data revealed the airplane was at 9,600 feet. At 08:48:04, the airplane was at 8,300 feet heading southeast. At 08:48:44, the airplane was last observed by the controller in radar contact flying a southeast heading at 3,100 feet. At 1000, the shift supervisor for the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center telephoned the Wilcox County Sheriff Department and reported the loss of radar contact with N9103Q at 24,000. The Sheriff Department was also told that the last radar contact with the airplane was 40 miles north of Monroeville, Alabama. A ground search was initiated at local airports failed to located the downed airplane. However, at 1715, the airplane wreckage was located by a local pilot. The airplane wreckage was scattered over an area 1/2 mile long. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on May 30, 1985, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on April 16, 2002, with the limitation, "not valid for any class after April 30, 2004." The pilot reported his total flight time was 4,500 hours on his application for the medical certificate. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed the last recorded entry was on June 20, 2003. The pilot had logged 5,021.4 hours of which 883.6 hours were in the PA-46-310P. The pilot's last biennial flight review and instrument proficiency was on June 20, 2003. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on May 7, 2003. The Hobbs hour meter and total airframe hours was 2105.0. The Hobbs hour meter at the crash site and total airframe hours was 2155.15. The airplane had flown 50.15 hours since the annual inspection. The pitot system check and transponder inspection was conducted on April 29, 2003. The emergency locator transmitter was inspected on May 5, 2003. The last entry in the engine and airframe logbook was on August 12, 2003, at 2133.0 Hobbs hours. Review of refueling records revealed the airplane was last refueled on February 23, 2004; with 68.5 gallons of 100 low lead fuel. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart at 09:00 depicted a warm front extending along the Gulf coast to the south of the accident site with an extensive area of overrunning clouds and precipitation north of the front. A weak trough of low pressure extended over the accident site with an area of moderate-to-heavy rain. The NWS Weather Depiction Chart issued at 10:00 depicted a large area of instrument flight rule and marginal flight rule conditions extending over southwest Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, southeast, and northern Texas, Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle, and extended over the accident site. Several stations across southwest and western Alabama, and Mississippi indicated moderate to continuous rain, with the majority of the stations over Louisiana reporting light continuous rain. The NWS Radar Summary Chart depicted an area of echoes extending from western South Carolina, northern and western Georgia, extreme western Florida panhandle, most of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, to eastern Texas, and along the Gulf coastal sections. In the vicinity of the accident site the echoes were depicted as strong-to-very strong intensity rain showers. The echo tops depicted across southern Alabama ranged from 29,000 to 32,000 feet. Movement of the cells was depicted to the east-northeast at 38 knots near the Alabama Gulf coast. The NWS Convective Outlook indicated possible thunderstorm activity over the region, with a slight chance of severe thunderstorms along the coastal area to the south of the crash site. The closest NWS Surveillance Radar was located at Birmingham, Alabama, 78 miles northeast of the accident site. The radar images indicate the accident airplane was operating in an area of echoes associated with heavy rain at the time of the in-flight breakup. The nearest weather reporting facility was located at Middleton Field Airport, Evergreen, Alabama, and located 49 miles southeast of the crash site. The 0853 surface weather observation was, wind from 030 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 1 3/4 miles in moderate rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,400 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet, temperature 46 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 45 degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 30.13 inches of Mercury. Remarks: automated observation system, sea level pressure 1020.1-mb, precipitation in the last hour 0.19 inches, 6-hour rainfall 0.24 inches, 3-hour pressure tendency fallen 3.0-mb. The 0842 special observation for Middleton Field Airport was, wind from 050 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 1 1/2 miles in heavy rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,800 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet, temperature 46 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.12. Remarks: automated observation system, precipitation since last hour 0.13 inches. The next closest observation location was from Key Field Airport, Meridian, Mississippi, located approximately 56 miles west of the accident site. The 0853 surface weather observation was, wind from 090 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 2 1/2 miles in heavy rain and mist, ceiling overcast at 2,800 feet, temperature 9 degrees C, dew point 8 degrees C, altimeter 30.10 inches of Mercury. Remarks: automated observation, sea level pressure 1019.1-mb, precipitation last hour 0.28 inches, 6-hour rainfall 0.72 inches, 3-hour pressure tendency fallen 1.2-mb. The National Weather Service issued Convective SIGMET 47C at 0753 for portions of Alabama, Missis ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9103Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9103Z-2006-08-18), registration cancelled 2006-08-18, S/N 4608028, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-46-310P - Registry model: [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (registry code 7104605) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4608028 - Airframe hours: 2155.15 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-BE 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert M. Compton Jr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 2003, 50 hours before - Departed: PFN, Panama City, FL - Destination: RVS, Tulsa, OK - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 20, 2003; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,021 total, 884 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 35° at 5 knots - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: GZH, 50 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040223002899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040223002899A), Feb 23, 2004: Piper PA46310P, Arlington, AL, Destroyed, 2 fatal. (-23) On Monday, February 23, 2004 at 8:49 CST N9103Z, a Piper PA-46-310P on an IFR flight plan from panama city, FL (pfn) to tulsa, ok (rvs), broke up… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.